Stock Photo - 04/09/1997 ___ With its prelaunch processing completed, the GOES_K advanced weather satellite awaits encapsulation in the Atlas 1 payload fairing, seen at left rear. GOES_K was prepared for launch at the Astrotech Space Operations LP facility in Titusville. GOES_K will be the third spacecraft to be launched in the advanced series of Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites GOES. The GOES satellites are owned and operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA, NASA manages the design, development and launch of the spacecraft. GOES_K is targeted for an April 24 launch aboard a Lockheed Martin Atlas 1 expendable launch vehicle AC_79 from Launch Complex 36, Pad B, Cape Canaveral Air Station. The launch window opens at 1:50 a.m. and extends to 3:09 a.m. EDT. Once in orbit, GOES_K will become GOES_10, joining GOES_8 and GOES_9 in space